The Publick House at Dan’s Taste of Two Forks

What famous Hamptons location stands apart from the crowd because it has its own brewery? The Southampton Publick House, of course. This popular restaurant and brewery in the middle of SouthamptonVillage offers award-winning ales and lagers in a family-friendly atmosphere.

The Publick House opened in 1996, well before most American microbrewery operations. They usually have eight of their own brews on tap, including three seasonal varieties. My crew ordered the flight of beer, called The House Brew Sampler, a four-ounce serving of each of the eight. It included satisfying samples of the Southampton Double White Ale, Southampton Altbier (their Secret Ale), Southampton India Pale Ale (I.P.A.), Southampton Gold, Montauk Light, Uber Bach, Oatmeal Stout and Sullivan’s Irish. Brewmaster Phil Markowski can make batches of up to 500 gallons at a time. [expand]

We particularly liked the pleasant bitterness of the Southampton I.P.A., and the Oatmeal Stout was a bit carbonated and lightly smoky. The Sullivan’s Irish is a bit spicy, like Southampton Publick House’s owner himself, Don Sullivan.

Our waiter Krissy helped us choose the best food pairings for our selections. I started with the Irish nachos—French fries and sweet potato fries slathered with cheese, pico de gallo, scallions and sour cream. This dish was not overly salty, but just right. My dining partner started with the Potato Ale Soup. Cheddar, scallions and bacon—yum! The ale provided a delicious, slightly yeasty undertone to this rich soup.

The menu offers three main entrée options: Grill Offerings, House Classics and Pub Favorites. We went for the pub fare, a wise decision in this upscale brewery. I’d forgotten how filling “liquid bread” can be, though, so we had to pass on dessert and the selection of seven specialty coffees—though the “Nutty Irishman” was a tempting option. Instead, we finished up this meal with heated Remy Martin Cognac, a perfect end to a perfect evening.